Welded seam outerwear

ABSTRACT

A method of welding seams for an outerwear garment, and the outerwear created therefrom. In one embodiment, a seam is created between outerwear material segments where dissimilar materials are joined together by applying at least one of a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive between the materials and then applying heat and pressure to the seam, with or without the use of welding molds. In another embodiment, a seam is created between outerwear material segments with any seam configuration by applying both a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive to the seam and then applying heat and pressure to the seam, with or without the use of welding molds.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to outerwear garments with welded seams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Seam joining techniques for garments have traditionally involvedsome form of stitched seams to assemble the garment. For the makers ofouterwear garments, providing a waterproof seam is often a goal, sincethe usefulness of outerwear may be degraded if water penetration ispossible along the outerwear seams. For purposes herein, “outerwear”refers to jackets or pants that may be worn as outerwear garments.Additionally, for purposes herein, “waterproof” refers to a highly waterresistant capacity, and not necessarily a capacity for complete waterimpenetrability. To this end, outerwear seam construction techniquessuch as taping of stitched seams or applying a waterproof adhesive tostitched seams have been used in the past to improve the waterresistance of outerwear, even to the point of creating waterproofouterwear. However, these traditional seam waterproofing techniques haveshown to have shortcomings. For example, stitched seams covered withseam tape may still be susceptible to water leakage if the tape were todegrade or delaminate. In addition, adding external materials such asseam tape adds weight and bulk to the outerwear, and decreases thebreathability (water vapor permeability), each of which may make theouterwear less appealing.

[0003] The technique of welding of material seams, i.e., applying heat,pressure and some type of bonding substance along a seam, with orwithout also stitching the welded seams, has shown to be an alternativeway to construct certain material seams. For seam welding withoutstitching, successful applications have been attained for some time inapplications other than outerwear garments, such as in the constructionof rubber rafts, kayaks, waterproof bags, wetsuits and chemicalprotective suits. In such applications, materials of the same materialcomposition are known to be joined together and are less flexible thanthose used in outerwear garment construction.

[0004] Outerwear garments, on the other hand, often include multilayermaterials of different composition to facilitate warmth, waterresistance and breathability. Outerwear, particularly outerwear intendedto be waterproof, requires seams that remain waterproof even in extremeweather conditions. To date, traditional outerwear construction methodshave been able to attain a waterproof capacity at the expense ofdecreased breathability and increased weight and bulk of addingadditional materials, such as seam taping to stitched seams. Theinventors have appreciated that it would be advantageous to produce anouterwear garment by welding seams using various bonding agents thateliminates the need for stitching or seam tape at the welded seam, thuspromoting a more waterproof and less bulky outerwear garment. Theinventors have also appreciated that it would be advantageous to weldouterwear material segments of different material composition so thatvarious materials and seam configurations could be utilized to furtherreduce the outerwear weight and bulk.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a method isprovided for constructing an outerwear garment. The method comprisesproviding first and second outerwear material segments, with the firstmaterial segment comprising a first surface of a first materialcomposition and a stitchless seam edge, the second material segmentcomprising a second surface of a second material composition and astitchless seam edge. At least one of a liquid bonding agent and a sheetadhesive is applied to the seam edge of at least the first surface ofthe first material segment. The seam edge of the first material segmentis overlapped with the seam edge of the second material segment suchthat the first surface of the first material segment faces the secondsurface of the second material segment, thereby creating a stitchlessseam line, wherein the at least one of the liquid bonding agent and thesheet adhesive is disposed between the first and second materialsegments along the seam line. Heat and pressure are applied to the seamline to weld the seam line and join the material segments withoutstitching.

[0006] In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, an outerweargarment with welded seams comprises a first outerwear material segmentand a second outerwear material segment. The first material segmentcomprises a first surface of a first material composition and astitchless seam edge, the second material segment comprising a secondsurface of a second material composition and a stitchless seam edge. Theouterwear garment also comprises a seam joining the material segmentstogether. The seam comprises the seam edge of the second materialsegment overlapping the seam edge of the first material segment suchthat the second surface of the second material segment faces the firstsurface of the first material segment, thereby creating a stitchlessseam line. The seam line is bonded by at least one of a liquid bondingagent and a sheet adhesive without stitching.

[0007] In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a method isprovided for constructing an outerwear garment. The method comprisesproviding first and second outerwear material segments, each materialsegment comprising a seam edge. Both a liquid bonding agent and a sheetadhesive are applied to the seam edge of at least the first materialsegment. The seam edge of the first material segment is overlapped withthe seam edge of the second material segment, thereby creating a seamline, wherein the liquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive aredisposed between the material segments along the seam line. Heat andpressure are applied to the seam line to weld the seam line.

[0008] In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, an outerweargarment with welded seams comprises a first outerwear material segmentand a second outerwear material segment, each material segmentcomprising a seam edge. The outerwear garment also comprises a seamjoining the material segments together, wherein the seam comprises theseam edge of the second material segment overlapping the seam edge ofthe first material segment, thereby creating a seam line, wherein theseam line is bonded by both a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive.

[0009] In yet another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a methodis provided for constructing an outerwear garment. The method comprisesproviding a first outerwear material segment and a second multilayerouterwear material segment. The first material segment comprising afirst surface of a first material composition and a stitchless seamedge, the second material segment comprising a second surface of asecond material composition and a stitchless seam edge. A bondingsubstance is provided to bond the material segments. The seam edge ofthe first material segment is overlapped with the seam edge of thesecond material segment such that the first surface of the firstmaterial segment faces the second surface of the second materialsegment, thereby creating a stitchless seam line, wherein the bondingsubstance is disposed along the seam line. Heat and pressure are appliedby way of a welding mold to the seam line to weld the seam line and jointhe material segments without stitching.

[0010] In still a further embodiment of the invention, a method isprovided for constructing an outerwear garment. The method comprisesproviding first and second outerwear material segments, each materialsegment comprising a seam edge. Both a liquid bonding agent and a sheetadhesive are applied to the seam edge of the first material segment. Theseam edge of the second material segment is overlapped with the seamedge of the first material segment, thereby creating a seam line,wherein the liquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive are disposedbetween the material segments along the seam line. The final stepcomprises applying heat and pressure by way of a welding mold to theseam line to weld the seam line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to thefollowing drawings, in which like numerals reference like elements, andwherein:

[0012]FIGS. 1a-1 c are side views of material segments with varyingnumbers of layers;

[0013]FIGS. 2a-2 c are side views of material segments with varyingnumbers of layers joined using one seam configuration;

[0014]FIGS. 3a-3 c are side views of material segments with varyingnumbers of layers joined using another seam configuration;

[0015]FIGS. 4a-4 d are perspective views of various representativewelding molds;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a seam welding application usingwelding molds according to one embodiment of the invention; and

[0017]FIG. 6 is a side view of a seam welding application using weldingmolds according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Illustrative embodiments of the invention provide a method ofjoining seams for an outerwear garment, and the outerwear garment thusformed, such that a welding process is used to bond the seams to formdurable waterproof outerwear garment. In at least one embodiment, thewelded seams have no stitching and no seam tape to hold the seamstogether and/or provide water resistance. Generally, the welding processincludes providing two material segments with edges that are to form theintended seam line between the two material segments. The shape ofmaterial edges and the resultant seam line may vary depending on thelocation of the seam on the outerwear, the function of the seam or otherconsiderations. A bonding substance is provided between the materialsegments along the desired seam line. The bonding substance may be oneor more of the material segments themselves that, when heated, bond thematerial segments together, or may be a liquid bonding agent, such as aglue, or a sheet adhesive, such as an adhesive film, that is appliedbetween the joined material segments. The material segments are thenoverlapped in any of various configurations to form the seam line, withthe bonding substance disposed along the seam line between the twomaterial segments. Finally, heat and pressure is applied to the seamline for a period of time, causing the two material segments to weld toeach other and form a welded seam. For purposes herein, welding the seamline means welding at least a portion of the overlapped materialsegments together.

[0019] In one illustrative embodiment, a method of stitchless seamwelding an outerwear garment, and the outerwear created from suchwelding process, is disclosed where material surfaces to be welded areof different material compositions and a liquid bonding agent, a sheetadhesive, or both a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive are usedin the welding process. In another illustrative embodiment, a method ofjoining outerwear with stitchless seams by a welding process, and theouterwear resulting therefrom, is disclosed where the outerwear materialhas any number of layers and any seam configuration, and the processincludes using both liquid bonding agents and sheet adhesives. Forexample, the process may entail welding material layers with the samematerial composition or different composition. In another illustrativeembodiment of the invention, a method of stitchless seam welding anouterwear garment is disclosed where the welding process includes theuse of welding molds, in the shape of the desired seam line to weldmaterials of different material composition using a liquid bondingagent, a sheet adhesive, or both a liquid bonding agent and a sheetadhesive. Welding molds may also be used in still another illustrativeembodiment to weld outerwear seams where the outerwear material has anynumber of layers and any seam configuration, using both liquid bondingagents and sheet adhesives. The exact material composition, seamconfiguration and welding process utilized to weld the outerwear seamswill depend on the desired performance properties of the outerwear.

[0020] In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, a welded seam isformed in an outerwear garment made from laminate material sectionswhere material surfaces of different composition are welded together. Anexample of such a material segment may be a multilayer laminatematerial, for example a two layer material construction, such as thatshown in FIG. 1a, where the external layer, as the outerwear is worn, isa shell fabric layer 12 that is laminated to an internal membrane layer14. The fabric layer may be made from fibers that may be woven, knittedor felted. The membrane layer 14 may be a permeable or nonpermeablelayer of fabric or nonfabric material, and may provide waterproofprotection while allowing water vapor to escape through the membranematerial layer (i.e., a breathable membrane layer).

[0021] The shell fabric layer 12 may include one of the followingmaterials: nylon, nylon blend, polyamide, polyester, polyester blend,cotton, cotton blend, wool, wool and acrylic blend, nylon and LYCRA®blend, polyester and LYCRA® blend, or any other suitable materials knownto those of skill in the art. The membrane layer 14 may include apolyurethane material, an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), orany other suitable material known to those of skill in the art. Inaddition, a durable water resistant coating may be applied to the shellfabric, either before or after the material is manufactured, to furtherenhance the waterproof quality of the outerwear.

[0022] In another embodiment, the outerwear material segment may be amultilayer laminate material having three layers, as shown in FIG. 1b,where a backing fabric layer 16 is laminated to the internal surface ofthe previously described membrane layer 14, e.g., to provide protectionagainst damage to the membrane layer 14. The backing fabric layer 16 maybe made of polyester, or other suitable fibrous materials. The backingfabric layer 16 may also provide added comfort for the wearer of theouterwear garment since the backing fabric layer 16, and not themembrane layer 14, may contact the wearer. It should be understood thatthe laminate material is not limited to two or three layers of material,and it is anticipated that a material having any suitable number oflayers may be used to construct an outerwear garment of the presentinvention. It should be understood that the first and second materialsegments are not limited to two multilayer segments with the same numberof layers. For example, a multilayer material could be selected to bewelded to a single layer material segment where the material surfaces ofthe two segments to be welded are of different composition. As anotherexample, two single layer material segments could be selected to bewelded where the material surfaces of the two segments to be welded areof different composition. Other possible combinations of single layerand multilayer materials where the material surfaces to be welded are ofdifferent material compositions are also contemplated within the scopeof the invention.

[0023] Once desired materials are selected for the garment, thematerials may then be formed into material segments in any desirablesize or configuration, depending on the desired outerwear product. Forexample, the material segments may be die cut using a blade, such as asteel blade, shaped according to each segment's configuration. Inanother embodiment, the segments may be laser cut. Other suitable waysof cutting or otherwise forming the material segments are also possible,and are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. Whenforming the material segments, each segment to be joined to anothersegment at a seam is formed to have an appropriate seam region, asdiscussed in more detail below.

[0024] The formed material segments may be joined using a lap-type jointsuch that surfaces in the material segments having differentcompositions are joined together as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2 b. In FIG.2a, material segments formed from two layer material laminates arejoined so that the membrane layer 14 of a top segment is adhered to theshell fabric layer 12 of a bottom segment. In FIG. 2b, material segmentsformed from three layer material laminates are joined so that thebacking layer 16 of a top material segment is joined to the shell fabriclayer 12 of a bottom material segment. Thus, in this embodiment,material segments are joined so that surfaces of the material segmentshaving different compositions are joined together. An advantage of thisseam configuration may be that no portion of either material segment isfolded over in order to bond material layers of the same materialcomposition, resulting in a seam that requires less material and is flatand less bulky. This is in contrast to other seam forming techniqueswhere the joined layers of material segments have a same composition,e.g., where the shell fabric layer of a first material segment is joinedto the shell fabric layer of a second material segment.

[0025] Before joining material segments, a bonding substance 20 shown inFIGS. 2a and 2 b may be applied at the seam edge of at least one of thematerial segments. For purposes herein, applying a bonding substance toa material segment includes both direct application of the bondingsubstance to a material segment, as well as any other way of providingthe bonding substance to the material segment. In one embodiment, abonding substance in the form of a liquid bonding agent 20 is applied toat least one of the seam edges of the material segments to be welded.Any suitable liquid bonding agents may be used such as, for example, apolyurethane-based glue. Such a polyurethane glue may be supplied byHuang-Jiang Nan Pao Shoes, Materials Factory, Taipei, Taiwan. By way ofillustration for the two and three layer material laminate embodiments,the liquid bonding agent may be applied to the shell fabric layer 12 orthe membrane layer 14, or both, when using two layer material laminatesas shown in FIG. 2a, or to the shell fabric layer 12 or the backinglayer 16, or both, when using three layer material laminates as shown inFIG. 2b. The liquid bonding agent may be applied by brushing the liquidonto the seam edge, by screen printing, or any other suitableapplication process. The amount of liquid bonding agent applied to theseam edge may vary depending on the size and location of the seam lineon the outerwear garment, the types of layers being joined or otherfactors. As one example, the liquid bonding substance may be applied.0.1 mm thick.

[0026] In another embodiment, a sheet adhesive may be applied as thebonding substance 20 at the seam edge of at least one of the materialsegments to be welded. The sheet adhesive may be any suitable piece ofadhesive material that, when heated, bonds to contacting surfaces. Athermoplastic adhesive film, such as may be provided by Bemis USA ofShirley, Mass., is an example of a class of sheet adhesives that may beused in conjunction with the present invention. More specifically, apolyurethane film, a polyester film, or a nylon adhesive film areexemplary embodiments of sheet adhesives that may be applied at a seamedge for bonding the seam. The thickness of the sheet adhesive may varydepending on the size and location of the seam on the outerwear, as wellas the type of materials to be joined. In one embodiment, the sheetadhesive film is 0.1 mm thick.

[0027] In another embodiment, both a liquid bonding agent and a sheetadhesive may be applied at a seam edge as a bonding agent 20 to bond theseam. The liquid bonding agent and sheet adhesive may be applied to theseam edge, e.g., with the liquid bonding agent being applied first tothe seam edge and the sheet adhesive applied over the liquid bondingagent, prior to joining the two material segments together. Otherarrangements are also contemplated such as first applying the sheetadhesive to the seam edge, with the liquid bonding agent applied on topof the sheet adhesive.

[0028] In another embodiment, single layer material segments 10, asshown in FIGS. 1c and 2 c, may be joined by both a liquid bonding agentand a sheet adhesive. Such a single layer material 10 may be a singlefabric layer without a membrane, and may be made of nylon, nylon blend,polyester, polyester blend, or other fabrics suitable to one of ordinaryskill in the art. The material segments may be joined using a lap-typejoint, as shown in FIG. 2c, or other suitable seam configurations. Theouterwear material may also include a durable water resistant coating,and the material segments to be welded may be cut by a die, laser orother cutting process to form the desired material seam edges.

[0029] As another example, a seam may be configured, as shown in FIGS.3a-3 c, in a single folded layer configuration where material segmentsof the same material composition are welded together. Many other seamconfigurations are possible and contemplated within the scope of thisinvention where both a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive areused to bond either material segments of different material compositionor material segments of the same material composition in an outerwearseam welding process.

[0030] Once the outerwear material segments are configured to form adesired seam line and the bonding agent is applied at the seam line,heat and pressure may be applied to the seam line for a period of time,or dwell time, to weld the seam and join the material segments withoutthe use of stitching. Both heat and pressure may be applied to the seamby heated platens, molding dies or other portions of a press moved by ahydraulic, forced air, electromechanical, or other means. The weldingtemperature, applied pressure and dwell time may vary depending on suchfactors as the type and number of material layers, material thickness,and the location of the seam on the outerwear. For example, the morematerial layers to be welded or the larger the size of the area to bewelded, the higher the temperature, pressure and/or the longer the dwelltime that may be needed to weld the seam. Other factors besides thoseenumerated here, as appreciated by those of skill in the art, may alsoaffect the welding parameters.

[0031] In one embodiment, a liquid bonding agent is used in the weldingprocess to bond two-layer material segments consisting of a nylon shellfabric layer and a polyurethane membrane layer. The welding process mayrequire the heated press to attain a welding temperature in the range of150° C.-200° C. before being applied to the seam, with a dwell timebetween 15 and 20 seconds. The pressing force for the heated press maybe set at a gauge pressure of approximately 60 pounds per square inch.The seam may then be cooled down to between 10° C. and 25° C., dependingon the size and shape of the seam and the ambient air temperature duringthe welding process. Each of the heating, pressure setting and coolingfunctions may be generated by, respectively, a heating element (e.g., anelectrical resistance heating element, induction heater, etc.), airpressure apparatus and a cooling element (e.g., a liquid cooling system)that are part of the heated press. Additionally, the seam coolingprocess may be facilitated by water or air supplied to the coolingelement. The resultant welded seam may have a seam width between 0.5 and0.8 cm, and may bond all overlapping portions of the materials segmentsor just a portion of the overlapping portions.

[0032] In another embodiment, a sheet adhesive is used in the weldingprocess to bond two-layer material segments along a seam line consistingof a nylon shell fabric layer and a polyurethane membrane layer. Weldingsuch an outerwear seam with sheet adhesives may require the heated pressto be heated to between 150° C.-220° C., with a welding dwell time of atleast 5 seconds to bond the seam. The pressing force of the heated pressmay be applied by air pressure where the gauge pressure is set atapproximately 40 pounds per square inch. As discussed previously, thewelding temperatures, dwell times or pressure settings may be varieddepending on the material composition and thickness, location of theseam or other factors.

[0033] In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a method ofwelding the seams in outerwear material segments with any seamconfiguration or number of material layers using both a liquid bondingagent and a sheet adhesive, and the outerwear created from such weldingprocess, is disclosed. Welding such an outerwear seam with liquidbonding agents and sheet adhesives may require the heated press to beheated to between 150° C.-200° C., with a welding dwell time of at leastbetween 10 and 20 seconds to bond the seam. The pressing force of theheated press may be applied by air pressure where the gauge pressure isset at approximately 60 pounds per square inch.

[0034] In another embodiment of the invention, at least one welding moldis used to apply heat and pressure to the seam line where materiallayers are welded using a bonding agent, without stitching the weldedseam. A welding mold may be a structure that can apply pressuresimultaneously to an extended length of a seam, such as simultaneouslyto more than 1 inch of a seam length. In one embodiment, a welding moldwould not include a roller-type press that applies rolling pressure at anip between rollers as they move in relation to the seam. As shown inFIGS. 4a-4 d, the welding molds may be made of metal and suitably shapedand sized according to the shape and size of the desired seam line. Thewelding molds may be made of, for example, brass, aluminum, or stainlesssteel, depending on the welding demands on different parts of theouterwear. It should be understood that these described mold materialsare not the only materials that may be used for the welding molds, asother suitable materials, whether metallic or nonmetallic, may be used.

[0035] The welding molds may be straight, for use in straight seamwelding, or may be curved or otherwise shaped to match the curve orshape of a desired seam line. The size of the welding molds may varyaccording to the particular welding application. In one embodiment ofthe invention, the molds are between 0.25 cm and 1.75 cm wide,preferably 1 cm wide, as well as 2 inches high from a support plate, andhave a length that varies between 3.5 cm and 125 cm, depending on thelocation or other parameters of the outerwear seam. Other molddimensions are also contemplated that maybe used in the welding process.

[0036] One advantage for using a welding mold in the outerwearconstruction process may be that the molds keep the seams aligned andprovide a concentrated location for the heat of the welding process,namely within the molded area. Another advantage for using a weldingmold in the outerwear construction process may be when, for example,trying to weld curved seams. The welding molds may facilitate a smooth,high quality seam without the puckering that may otherwise occur whentrying to maintain proper alignment of curved seam edges during weldingusing only a flat surfaced heated press without molds or otherarrangement. Other advantages for using welding molds, of any shape,will be appreciated by those of skill in the art.

[0037] A welding mold, in the shape of the desired seam, may be attachedin some manner to a heated press to facilitate the seam welding process.In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a single welding mold 40 isattached to an upper portion 32 of a heated press 30, with the lowerportion 34 of the press 30 including a flat surface on which thematerial segments 50 a, 50 b are placed prior to welding. As discussedpreviously, the material segments are arranged so that the desired seamline takes the form of the welding mold. The mold is heated to thedesired temperature by the heating element of the heated press. Theupper portion 32 and the lower portion 34 of the press 30 are thenbrought together, such as by electromechanical, hydraulic, or humanpower, to exert a force on the material segments 50 a, 50 b, positionedbetween the two pressing portions. The welding temperature and pressureexerted for a minimum dwell time produces a welded seam between thematerial segments. In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 6, similarlyshaped welding molds 42, 44 are attached to two sides 36, 38 of a heatedpress 31 so that during the welding process, one or both of the weldingmolds 42, 44 is heated, the sides 36, 38 of the heated press are broughttogether, and the material segments 52 a, 52 b are pinched between twowelding molds and welded along the seam line in the shape of the twowelding molds.

[0038] In another embodiment of the invention, welding molds in theshape of the intended seam line are used with both liquid bonding agentsand sheet adhesives to weld outerwear material segments of any seamconfiguration. In this embodiment, as with previously discussedembodiments, material segments of different material composition may bewelded together using both a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesiveor material segments of the same material composition may be weldedtogether. However, with this embodiment, welding molds in the shape ofthe desired seam line are added to the welding process to facilitate thewelding of the seam. The welding molds may be brass, aluminum, stainlesssteel, or other appropriate substance, and may be shaped in any of avariety forms depending on the intended shaped of the seam line. Thesewelding molds may be used in a welding application such as is depictedin FIG. 5 or 6, or in other applications as will be appreciated by oneof skill in the art.

[0039] Having described certain embodiments of the present invention,various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occurto those skilled in the art. It should be understood that a variety ofmaterial types, seam configurations, and adhesive agents could beprovided besides those shown in the illustrative embodiments describedabove. Additionally, the parameters of the welding process itself, suchas the welding temperatures, pressing forces, dwell times and the use ofparticularly shaped welding molds may be varied for particular seamwelding applications. Therefore, such alterations, modifications andimprovements are intended to be within the spirit and scope of theinvention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of exampleonly, and not intended to be limiting.

1. A method for constructing an outerwear garment, the method comprisingacts of: (A) providing a first outerwear material segment and a secondouterwear material segment, the first material segment comprising afirst surface of a first material composition and a stitchless seamedge, the second material surface comprising a second surface of asecond material composition and a stitchless seam edge; (B) applying atleast one of a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive at the seamedge of at least the first surface of the first material segment; (C)overlapping the seam edge of the first material segment with the seamedge of the second material segment such that the first surface of thefirst material segment faces the second surface of the second materialsegment, thereby creating a stitchless seam line, wherein the at leastone of the liquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive is disposedbetween the first and second material segments along the seam line; and(D) applying heat and pressure to the seam line to weld the seam lineand join the material segments without stitching.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the (A) act comprises providing material segments with awater resistant coating.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the materialsegments each comprise two layers, a shell fabric layer and a breathablemembrane layer.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the shell fabric layeris the first layer of the first material segment and the membrane layeris the second layer of the second material segment.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the material segments each comprise three layers, ashell fabric layer, a breathable membrane layer and a backing fabriclayer.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the shell fabric layer is thefirst surface of the first material segment and the backing layer is thesecond surface of the second material segment.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the seam edge of at least one material segment is die cut. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein the seam edge of at least one materialsegment is laser cut.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the (B) actcomprises applying a liquid bonding agent.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the liquid bonding agent is a polyurethane-based glue.
 11. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the (B) act comprises applying the liquidbonding agent by screen printing.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the(B) act comprises applying a sheet adhesive.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the sheet adhesive is a thermoplastic adhesive film.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive film is apolyurethane film.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermoplasticadhesive film is a polyester film.
 16. The method of claim 13, whereinthe thermoplastic adhesive film is a nylon adhesive film.
 17. The methodof claim 1, wherein the (B) act comprises applying both a liquid bondingagent and a sheet adhesive.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the (D)act comprises applying heat and pressure to the seam line by way of ametal welding mold.
 19. The method of claim 1, further comprising theact of: (E) arranging the material segments into a form of an outerweargarment.
 20. An outerwear garment with welded seams, the garmentcomprising: a first outerwear material segment and a second outerwearmaterial segment, the first material segment comprising a first surfaceof a first material composition and a stitchless seam edge, the secondmaterial segment comprising a second surface of a second materialcomposition and a stitchless seam edge; and a seam joining the materialsegments together, wherein the seam comprises the seam edge of thesecond material segment overlapping the seam edge of the first materialsegment such that the second layer of the second material segment facesthe first layer of the first material segment, thereby creating astitchless seam line, wherein the seam line is bonded by at least one ofa liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive.
 21. The garment of claim20, wherein the seam line is bonded by a liquid bonding agent.
 22. Thegarment of claim 21, wherein the liquid bonding agent is apolyurethane-based glue.
 23. The garment of claim 20, wherein the seamline is bonded by a sheet adhesive.
 24. The garment of claim 23, whereinthe sheet adhesive is a thermoplastic adhesive film.
 25. The garment ofclaim 24, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive film is a polyurethanefilm.
 26. The garment of claim 24, wherein the thermoplastic adhesivefilm is a polyester film.
 27. The garment of claim 24, wherein thethermoplastic adhesive film is a nylon adhesive film.
 28. The garment ofclaim 20, wherein the seam line is bonded by both a liquid bonding agentand a sheet adhesive.
 29. The garment of claim 20, wherein the materialsegments comprise a water resistant coating.
 30. The garment of claim20, wherein the material segments do not include a membrane.
 31. Thegarment of claim 20, wherein the material segments each comprise twolayers, a shell material layer and a breathable membrane layer.
 32. Thegarment of claim 31, wherein the shell fabric layer of the firstmaterial segment is joined to the membrane layer of the second materialsegment by at least one of a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive.33. The garment of claim 20, wherein the material segments each comprisethree layers, a shell fabric layer, a breathable membrane layer and abacking fabric layer.
 34. The garment of claim 33, wherein the shellfabric layer of the first material segment is joined to the backinglayer of the second material segment by at least one of a liquid bondingagent and a sheet adhesive.
 35. The garment of claim 20, wherein theseam edge of at least one material segment is die cut.
 36. The garmentof claim 20, wherein the seam edge of at least one material segment islaser cut.
 37. A method for constructing an outerwear garment, themethod comprising acts of: (A) providing first and second outerwearmaterial segments, each material segment comprising a seam edge; (B)applying both a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive at the seamedge of at least the first material segment; (C) overlapping the seamedge of the first material segment with the seam edge of the secondmaterial segment, thereby creating a seam line, wherein the liquidbonding agent and the sheet adhesive are disposed between the materialsegments the along the seam line; and (D) applying heat and pressure tothe seam line to weld the seam line.
 38. The method of claim 37, whereinthe (A) act comprises providing material segments with a water resistantcoating.
 39. The method of claim 37, wherein the material segments donot include a membrane.
 40. The method of claim 37, wherein the materialsegments each comprise two layers, a shell fabric layer and a breathablemembrane layer.
 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the shell fabriclayer of the first material segment is joined to the membrane layer ofthe second material segment using both the liquid bonding agent and thesheet adhesive.
 42. The method of claim 40, wherein the shell fabriclayer of the first material segment is joined to the shell fabric layerof the second material segment using both the liquid bonding agent andthe sheet adhesive.
 43. The method of claim 37, wherein the materialsegments each comprise three layers, a shell fabric layer, a breathablemembrane layer and a backing fabric layer.
 44. The method of claim 43,wherein the shell fabric layer of the first material segment is joinedto the backing layer of the second material segment using both theliquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive.
 45. The method of claim 43,wherein the shell fabric layer of the first material segment is joinedto the shell fabric layer of the second material segment using both theliquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive.
 46. The method of claim 37,wherein the liquid bonding agent is a polyurethane based glue.
 47. Themethod of claim 37, wherein the liquid bonding agent is applied byscreen printing.
 48. The method of claim 37, wherein the sheet adhesiveis a thermoplastic adhesive film.
 49. The method of claim 48, whereinthe thermoplastic adhesive film is a polyurethane film.
 50. The methodof claim 37, wherein the seam edge of at least one material segment isdie cut.
 51. The method of claim 37, wherein the seam edge of at leastone material segment is laser cut.
 52. An outerwear garment with weldedseams, the garment comprising: a first outerwear material segment and asecond outerwear material segment, each material segment comprising aseam edge; and a seam joining the material segments together, whereinthe seam comprises the seam edge of the second material segmentoverlapping the seam edge of the first material segment, therebycreating a seam line, wherein the seam line is bonded by both a liquidbonding agent and a sheet adhesive.
 53. The garment of claim 52, whereinthe liquid bonding agent is a polyurethane-based glue.
 54. The garmentof claim 52, wherein the sheet adhesive is a thermoplastic adhesivefilm.
 55. The garment of claim 54, wherein the thermoplastic adhesivefilm is a polyurethane film.
 56. The garment of claim 52, wherein thematerial segments comprise a water resistant coating.
 57. The garment ofclaim 52, wherein the material segments do not include a membrane. 58.The garment of claim 52, wherein the material segments each comprise twolayers, a shell material layer and a breathable membrane layer. 59 Thegarment of claim 58, wherein the shell fabric layer of the firstmaterial segment is joined to the membrane layer of the second materialsegment by both the liquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive.
 60. Thegarment of claim 58, wherein the shell fabric layer of the firstmaterial segment is joined to the shell fabric layer of the secondmaterial segment by both the liquid bonding agent and the sheetadhesive.
 61. The garment of claim 52, wherein the material segmentseach comprise three layers, a shell fabric layer, a breathable membranelayer and a backing fabric layer.
 62. The garment of claim 61, whereinthe shell fabric layer of the first material segment is joined to thebacking layer of the second material segment by both the liquid bondingagent and the sheet adhesive.
 63. The garment of claim 60, wherein theshell fabric layer of the first material segment is joined to the shellfabric layer of the second material segment by both the liquid bondingagent and the sheet adhesive.
 64. The garment of claim 52, wherein theseam edge of at least one material segment is die cut.
 65. The garmentof claim 52, wherein the seam edge of at least one material segment islaser cut.
 66. A method for constructing an outerwear garment, themethod comprising acts of: (A) providing a first outerwear materialsegment and a second outerwear material segment, the first materialsegment comprising a first surface of a first material composition and astitchless seam, the second material segment comprising a second surfaceof a second material composition and a stitchless seam edge; (B)providing a bonding substance to bond the material segments; (C)overlapping the seam edge of the first material segment with the seamedge of the second material segment such that the first surface of thefirst material segment faces the second surface of the second materialsegment, thereby creating a stitchless seam line, wherein the bondingsubstance is disposed along the seam line; and (D) applying heat andpressure by way of a welding mold to the seam line to weld the seam lineand join the material segments without stitching.
 67. The method ofclaim 66, wherein the (A) act comprises providing material segments witha water resistant coating.
 68. The method of claim 66, wherein thematerial segments each comprise two layers, a shell fabric layer and abreathable membrane layer.
 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the shellfabric layer of the first material segment is joined to the membranelayer of the second material segment by the bonding substance.
 70. Themethod of claim 65, wherein the material segments each comprise threelayers, a shell fabric layer, a breathable membrane layer and a backingfabric layer.
 70. The method of claim 70, wherein the shell fabric layerof the first material segment is joined to the backing layer of thesecond material segment by the bonding substance.
 72. The method ofclaim 66, wherein providing a bonding substance comprises applying atleast one of a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive to the seamedge of the first surface of the first material segment.
 73. The methodof claim 72, wherein applying at least one of a liquid bonding agent anda sheet adhesive comprises applying a liquid bonding agent.
 74. Themethod of claim 73, wherein the liquid bonding agent is a polyurethanebased glue.
 75. The method of claim 73, wherein the liquid bonding agentis applied by screen printing.
 76. The method of claim 72, whereinapplying at least one of a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesivecomprises applying a sheet adhesive.
 77. The method of claim 76, whereinthe sheet adhesive is a thermoplastic adhesive film.
 78. The method ofclaim 77, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive film is a polyurethanefilm.
 79. The method of claim 77, wherein the thermoplastic adhesivefilm is a polyester film.
 80. The method of claim 77, wherein thethermoplastic adhesive film is a nylon adhesive film.
 81. The method ofclaim 72, wherein the act of applying at least one of a liquid bondingagent and a sheet adhesive comprises applying both a liquid bondingagent and a sheet adhesive.
 82. The method of claim 66, wherein thewelding mold is between 0.25 cm and 1.75 cm wide.
 83. The method ofclaim 66, wherein the welding mold is curved.
 84. The method of claim66, wherein the welding mold applies pressure simultaneously to anextended length of the seam.
 85. The method of claim 84, wherein thewelding mold applies pressure simultaneously to more than a 1 inch seamlength.
 86. A method for constructing an outerwear garment, the methodcomprising acts of: (A) providing first and second outerwear materialsegments, each material segment comprising a seam edge; (B) applyingboth a liquid bonding agent and a sheet adhesive to the seam edge of thefirst material segment; (C) overlapping the seam edge of the secondmaterial segment with the seam edge of the first material segment,thereby creating a seam line, wherein the liquid bonding agent and thesheet adhesive are disposed between the material segments along the seamline; and (D) applying heat and pressure by way of a welding mold to theseam line to weld the seam line.
 87. The method of claim 86, wherein theliquid bonding agent is a polyurethane based glue.
 88. The method ofclaim 86, wherein the liquid bonding agent is applied by screenprinting.
 89. The method of claim 86, wherein the sheet adhesive is athermoplastic adhesive film.
 90. The method of claim 89, wherein thethermoplastic adhesive film is a polyurethane film.
 91. The method ofclaim 86, wherein the (A) act comprises providing material segments witha water resistant coating.
 92. The method of claim 86, wherein thematerial segments do not include membranes.
 93. The method of claim 86,wherein the material segments each comprise two layers, a shell fabriclayer and a breathable membrane layer.
 94. The method of claim 93,wherein the shell fabric layer of the first material segment is joinedto the membrane layer of the second material segment using both theliquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive.
 95. The method of claim 93,wherein the shell fabric layer of the first material segment is joinedto the shell fabric layer of the second material segment using both theliquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive.
 96. The method of claim 86,wherein the material segments each comprise three layers, a shell fabriclayer, a breathable membrane layer and a backing fabric layer.
 97. Themethod of claim 96, wherein the shell fabric layer of the first materialsegment is joined to the backing layer of the second material segmentusing both the liquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive.
 98. Themethod of claim 96, wherein the shell fabric layer of the first materialsegment is joined to the shell fabric layer of the second materialsegment using both the liquid bonding agent and the sheet adhesive. 99.The method of claim 86, wherein the welding mold is between 0.25 cm and1.75 cm wide.
 100. The method of claim 86, wherein the welding mold iscurved.
 101. The method of claim 86, wherein the seam is stitchless.102. The method of claim 86, wherein the welding mold applies pressuresimultaneously to an extended length of the seam.
 103. The method ofclaim 102, wherein the welding mold applies pressure simultaneously tomore than a 1 inch seam length.